In The News

THE WOODLANDS, TX – The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2019 Economic Outlook Conference on Friday, February 8, 2019 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. The conference, which The Chamber will be hosting for the 33rd consecutive year, provided insights into the projected growth of the economy in Montgomery County and Texas. The theme of this year’s conference was “The Pathway to Sustainable Growth” with numerous speakers at the event.

View photos from the conference on the Hello Woodlands Facebook page here.

A community update was provided by Gordy Bunch, Chairman of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors, Texas State Senator Brandon Creighton serving the Senate District 4, and by video, U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady serving the Congressional District 8 of Texas.

A regional update was provided by Laura Lea Palmer, The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership Vice President of Business Retention and Expansion, and Jesse B. Thompson III, Senior Business Economist at the Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

The event also featured a CEO and Leadership Panel moderated by Gil P. Staley, The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership CEO. Panetlists included Sallie Rainer, CEO of Entergy Texas, Inc., Charles D. Stokes, CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System, and Paul H. Layne, President of Central Region – The Howard Hughes Corporation.

John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil Company and Founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy, was the keynote speaker at the luncheon and shared a look into the future of energy. Hofmeister shared how our world today will need to evolve by tackling the waste management of harmful emissions instead of focusing solely on the elimination of using oil and fossil fuels. Hofmeister shared a vision of the world of tomorrow, a shift into Carbon Tech (or Carbon Management) that will capture, transform and eliminate pollution into harmless, usable products and utility. Instead of replacing oil and fuels with windmills and solar panels, he instead shared the need to move towards eliminating tailpipes and preventing the release of harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

As the largest business association in the Houston region, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to advocating for businesses, creating marketing and networking opportunities, serving as a professional and community resource, and supporting charitable causes. For more information, please visit www.woodlandschamber.orgor www.woodlandschamber.org/EOC.

ICMYI: Yesterday, I joined Farmers for Free Trade at the #Rally4USMCA with my colleagues from both parties to urge Congress to pass the USMCA, ASAP!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7N2KjIQiJc&feature=youtu.be